Doom Bringer, Doom Brought
by Skylark Starflower
Summary: [ACF] Without Mother's influence keeping him immortal, Zed's life span has been cut short. Far shorter than anyone would have thought...
1. Prologue

Authors Note/Disclaimer: I don't own WA: Alter Code F, it belongs to Media Vision/Sony. Agetec can bite me.

About the only thing I can think of to say about this fic right now is that I'm going to try to post it in tandem with Metamorphosis, because between the two of these fics, you'll get the whole story. You'll see what I mean once I get more written, hee heh. Anywho, off you go to read now, kay?

**Prologue**

"Zed?"

The demon glanced down from where he was standing on the wall that surrounded Saint Centaur towards the source of the voice. Aura smiled up at him. "Are you up on the wall again?"

Zed jumped down next to the blind girl. "I was. Did you want something?"

"No, no," she replied, laughing and shaking her head. "I was just wondering where you'd gotten to."

Zed crossed his arms across his chest and grinned. "Want to join me?"

"What? No, what would be the point?" Her voice seemed to contain a hint of regret, and Zed knew he'd touched a nerve. It hurt him to know he'd upset her and he decided to try to make it up to her.

"Aw, come on." He wrapped a strong arm around her waist.

"Zed, what are you doing? Zed!"

Aura yelped in surprise as he jumped, lifting her up off her feet and into the air. He held her tightly, ensuring she wouldn't fall, and set down lightly on the wall top, putting her back down. She was about to ask him if he were out of his mind when he shushed her.

"Just listen. Please?"

She did as he asked and was surprised by what she found. She closed her eyes out of habit and listened to the wind as it rustled the leaves in the trees, heard the local Memory Bird preen its feathers. Something was scurrying in the grass by the wall, and birds were singing in the forest in the distance. The sounds of life surrounded her and though she couldn't see them, she could picture the image in her mind's eye. A sudden sound out of the natural harmony dispelled her picture, however.

The sudden, pained gasp startled her. "Zed, are you okay?"

He didn't reply right away, clutching at his chest, waiting for the pain to recede. Once it was gone, he waited a couple more seconds to make sure it wasn't going to return before responding. "Yeah… I think so."

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "Dunno, but I don't think it's anything to worry about."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I'm right. There's nothing on this earth that can hurt me!"

"Oh, Zed. You're such an idiot." The tone of her voice made it clear she was teasing.

"Heh." He scratched at the back of his head, embarrassed.

"Now I understand what it is you like about being on the wall, though."

"Well, the view is spectacular, too." He continued hastily, trying not to sound callous. "I know you can't see it, but I could describe it for you."

Aura smiled. "That would be nice."

He was about to start by pointing out the sea on the horizon to the north when the sound of someone clearing his throat interrupted him. He turned to see who was there as Aura did the same, out of habit again. She already knew who it was, just by his voice.

"Mister Oliver! How are you?"

"It's just Oliver please, Miss Aura." He adjusted his hat, part of the yellow uniform that marked him as a merchant. Once he'd learned there were still people living in Saint Centaur, he'd taken the trouble to stop in from time to time as he traveled to other towns to peddle his wares, or restock. "I have a message from your friends."

"Oh, they got our letter?"

Zed lifted her, jumping back down to the ground so they could converse easier as Oliver nodded. "Cecilia says they'll be able to stop by within the next couple weeks when they're on their way to Port Timney. Hanpan said to say hi for everyone, as well."

Aura laughed. "That's wonderful. Thank you for stopping by."

"No problem. I know it's still a few weeks until Captain Bartholomew is supposed to come by, so do you need anything in the meantime, before I go?"

Zed shook his head, entering the conversation for the first time. "Nothing I can think of."

"I think we're good for the time being, thank you again," added Aura.

Oliver inclined his head. "I've gotta be going now, then. I'll see you again next time. Goodbye." With that, he turned and left the town, leaving Zed and Aura alone again. Silence reigned for several moments.

"Can we go back up on the wall?" asked Aura suddenly. A lopsided grin crossed Zed's face and once again, he wrapped an arm around her waist and jumped. The two spent the rest of the day laughing and listening to the sounds, Zed's sudden chest pain completely forgotten.


	2. An Unknown Illness

Authors Note/Disclaimer: I don't own Alter Code F, it belongs to Media Vision/Sony. I guess agetec figured in there somewhere, but whatever.

So, what can I say about this? Just that it's long. And this is only chapter one! This'll probably be the longest ficcy I've written so far. Whee! Yeah, I know what you're saying, there's other fics that are a lot longer out there. Well you know what? Shut up. For me, this is long. Hee heh. And I know it's a bit on the talky side, but I did my best! Anyway, read on, pleasy, pleasy, please, please!

"**Doom Bringer, Doom Brought"  
****By Skylark Starflower  
****Started February 6, 2006**

Chapter One- An Unknown Illness

"I'll get it!"

The door was answered mere seconds after the knock had sounded, and before the knocker had even finished. Jack stood in the doorway, a look of surprise on his face while his arm was still held in the air, Rudy and Cecilia standing behind him.

He was snapped quickly from his shock when Zed glomped onto him.

"Hello! Come in, come in, come in!" cheered the delighted demon.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Jack pried the over-excited creature from his waist and shoved him away before stepping inside, the others following behind him.

Aura moved forward to greet the three wanderers as Zed started bouncing around on the furniture. She giggled. "You'll have to forgive Zed," she said, "he got into the sugar this morning."

As she said this, Zed bounced too high and put his head through the roof.

X X X

"And that's what it's going to be like," concluded Jack.

Cecilia swatted him on the back of the head. "Stop that! Zed is not that bad."

Jack's expression turned sulky. "Yes he is, and I still don't see why we have to go visit him."

"Aura invited us. And besides, he's still a member of the team."

Jack snorted. "I still think you should have let me finish him then and there. The only good demon's a dead demon."

Rudy shook his head as this statement started another spirited argument between his two human companions. Hanpan, seeking refuge from Jack's flailing limbs, had jumped onto his head a while ago. Now the wind mouse just sighed.

"I can't believe how you can be so nonchalant about taking someone's life!" Cecilia's face was flushed red with anger.

"Hey Princess, think about it. If he's so quick to turn against his own kind, what's stopping him from changing his mind again? I don't trust him. And besides, he's far too hyper." Jack's response was icy.

"Fine. Visit with Aura then, but leave Zed alone!"

"Whatever," grumbled Jack as Saint Centaur's walls became visible on the horizon. Rudy inwardly thanked the Guardians for small miracles.

The small band reached the gates not long after first sighting the town, and Hanpan scurried into Jack's jacket pocket so they could bypass the renewed defense system. It had yet to occur to anyone to wonder why it would let Zed through without any problems.

Rudy had expected to see the demon up on the walls, having gotten to know how he liked high places, but he was nowhere to be seen outside. This was no reason to worry, however. It just meant he was inside at the moment.

Cecilia was the first to reach the door to Aura's house. Knocking, she waited for the expected call to enter, but it didn't come. Instead, the door was opened a few moments later as Aura answered it. She was smiling, but it was troubled.

"Hello," she said, "come in and make yourselves at home. Although I will ask if you could please keep your voices down, Zed's trying to sleep."

Jack seemed startled by this revelation. "Sleep? I thought he'd be bouncing off the walls like a six year old on a sugar high."

Aura shook her head as they moved inside, her smile disappearing. "He hasn't been feeling well the past few days."

"Oh?" It was Ceilia's turn to be surprised now. "That's too bad. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"No, I don't think so… I'm not really sure what's wrong with him yet. I hope it's nothing serious…"

Rudy placed a hand on Aura's shoulder as Hanpan spoke up. "It's probably nothing to worry about, you'll see. He'll be up and around again in no time."

The blind girl smiled slightly. "I hope so. Thank you all for your reassurance."

"Hey…"

The five turned towards the sudden voice. Standing in a doorway was Zed. He was wearing his typical grin, but it was obvious just by looking at him that he was ill. His eyes, usually sparking with life, seemed dull, and his complexion was paler than normal. He was holding the doorframe to keep himself steady, weariness evident in both his voice and stance.

"Don't be rude, talking about me behind my back…" It was evident he was trying to joke, but the tone was weak.

"Zed!" Aura moved towards the sound of his voice. "You shouldn't be up. What are you doing?"

The demon whined as Aura placed her hands on his shoulders and tried to steer him back into the room he'd come from. "I'm bored…" he complained.

"I know." Aura's voice was gentle, mothering. "But if you don't rest, you're not going to get better and when that happens, you'll be stuck in bed and bored for even longer."

Zed allowed himself to be guided back into his room, but he'd only gotten a few steps before he stumbled and collapsed. He tried to pick himself back up, but found he didn't have the strength. Rudy stepped forward to help Aura lift the sick demon from the floor and together they managed to get him back into bed.

"Sleep now, okay?" Aura brushed the back of her hand gently across Zed's cheek as she pulled the sheets across his shoulders. His eyes slid closed obediently and his breathing evened out as sleep claimed him. Aura and Rudy left the area silently and the group continued to talk in the living room in hushed tones.

"How long has he been like this?" asked Cecilia.

"It's been about a week now, I think," replied Aura, "but it comes and goes. Some days he's fine, and others, he's like this."

"Does he have any other symptoms?" asked Hanpan.

"That's the strange part. He doesn't. No fever, no loss of appetite, nothing. He's fine one minute and the next he can barely stand up. He's been having trouble sleeping, but I didn't think it was this bad…"

"Nightmares?" asked Cecilia.

Aura nodded. "He wakes up sometimes, screaming about blood and fire…"

Without another word, Cecilia turned to rummage in one of the bags she'd brought with her. After a moment she smiled triumphantly and stood, holding a small violet stone. She handed it to Aura. "Try putting this under his pillow."

Aura was mystified. "What good is a polished rock?"

"It's an amethyst. While I was at Curan Abbey, part of our training involved learning the magical properties of certain types of gemstones. The amethyst is supposed to help prevent nightmares."

"I see. Thank you, Cecilia. I'll go try it now." With that, the blind girl made her way back to Zed's room with confidence. She'd lived in Saint Centaur her whole life, and though she couldn't see, she knew every inch of town by sound and feel.

"So, do you think it's serious?" Cecilia asked quietly while Aura was out of the room.

"I've never heard of anything quite like it before," squeaked Hanpan. "But I can't claim to know all there is about demons, either."

"Sounds like a case of fatigue to me," said Jack. "Aura's worried, so it seems more severe to her."

The three turned to look at Rudy and the young boy shrugged. He knew as much as they did.

Before anyone could speak again, Aura returned. She nodded slightly in the direction she thought Cecilia was standing. "Thank you again. I hope it helps."

The princess smiled. "I'm sure it will."

"I'm sorry this visit hasn't been the most fun. If I had known Zed was going to fall ill, I wouldn't have suggested it."

"Don't worry about it," replied Hanpan. "I'm sure we're all just happy we could help." He expected Jack to snort in disagreement, and was mildly surprised when he merely nodded.

"You're probably in a hurry to be off, but you're welcome to stay the night."

Hanpan looked out the window where the sun was beginning to set. "How does she do that?"

"We'd love to stay," replied Cecilia. Jack and Rudy echoed her sentiments as the wind mouse spoke again.

"We're not in any rush to get anywhere."

Aura seemed pleased at their decision. "I'm afraid there's no room here for you, but the inn should be all right for use. That won't be a problem, right?"

"Of course not. We understand," said Cecilia.

"Yeah, and I for one would rather sleep on a bed than the floor," smirked Jack.

Aura laughed and the group spent the next little while just chatting before turning in for the night.

X X X

The next morning dawned bright and clear, birdsong echoing through the air to greet the sun. Cecilia was the first one up, and she debated whether or not she should wake the others. She needn't have worried as Jack awoke shortly after, making a great deal of noise as he stretched out his stiff muscles, in turn waking up Rudy and Hanpan.

"You're so noisy, Jack," she chided.

He just grinned and shrugged at her as Rudy rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Once they were all up and fully dressed, Hanpan in his usual spot on Jack's shoulder, the four made their way back to Aura's house. Hanpan sniffed at the air, whiskers twitching, as they drew closer.

"Something smells good," he squeaked.

"Aura must be making breakfast," Jack affirmed.

Reaching the house, they were met at the door by Aura, the blind girl smiling cheerfully.

"You seem happy this morning," said Cecilia.

The blind girl nodded. "Why don't you come in? Zed's offered to make breakfast."

"Zed?" Jack sounded startled, but as they moved inside, he found it was true. The demon was standing by the wood stove, messing around with something in a skillet. He seemed a lot better than he had the other day, and was even humming a happy little tune.

Looking up from what he was doing, Zed gave the group a large grin and waved. "I'm making pancakes!" he exclaimed.

"You seem to be doing better," said Cecilia, and she couldn't help smiling.

Zed nodded. "Aura told me about the amethyst already. It really seems to have worked, thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad it helped."

He inclined his head again before turning his attention back to cooking. Rudy and Jack were helping Aura set the table and Cecilia joined as Hanpan spoke up.

"I didn't know Zed could cook," said the wind mouse as the demon in question finished up what he was doing at the stove and brought a large plate of pancakes to the table, setting them down in the middle.

"Help yourselves," he announced as everyone took their seats. Aura laughed as everyone started to serve themselves.

"I know. I didn't expect it myself, but he's actually quite a good cook," she smiled.

"And I made sure to make lots for Cecilia," Zed added, a smart-alecky smirk on his face. Cecilia scowled at him as Jack guffawed. Even Rudy couldn't keep the smile from his face. Cecilia glared around at the smiling faces for several seconds before giving in and joining the laughter. Once it died away, the only sounds for several minutes were those of utensils as everyone dug into breakfast.

"You're right, Aura. That was really good," squeaked Hanpan once everyone was finished, rubbing a paw on his full belly, his ears and whiskers twitching in pleasure.

"When did you learn to cook?" inquired Rudy.

"A long time ago," Zed replied, and an odd look crossed his face, resentful yet also somewhat regretful. It was gone as soon as it appeared, replaced by a half smile, and for a moment Rudy wondered if he'd just been seeing things. "Suffice it to say, I learned to take care of myself."

Standing, Cecilia and Rudy helped Aura clear the table as Jack prepared the group's supplies for the journey ahead and Zed tidied up his cooking area.

"I'm glad this visit ended on a better note than it started," said Cecilia, once everyone had completed their tasks and the group had moved outside, the three wanderers carrying their bags, ready to go.

Aura nodded. "As am I. I am sorry you can't stay longer, but please feel free to stop by again anytime."

The three accepted the offer with smiles, nodding.

"Don't be afraid to contact us if you need anything," said Jack.

"Yes," continued Cecilia, "if you need us, we won't hesitate to come help out."

"Thank you, I'll remember that," replied Aura. She and Zed waved as the three wanderers and one wind sprite turned to go. Once the four had disappeared into the horizon, the two turned to head back inside.

Aura couldn't keep the smile from her face as she dance-stepped around the living room. Even though she'd just seen off friends, it wasn't getting her down. She was just pleased Zed was feeling better.

He laughed, watching her. "You're probably lucky you can't see how silly you look," he joked.

She stopped, placing her hands on her hips and mock scowled in his general direction. "You can be such a cruel man, you know that?"

He wilted, scratching at the back of his neck, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry."

Aura giggled. "Say, have you finished cleaning up yet?"

"I was just about to start washing dishes, why?"

"Can I help?"

"Sure." Zed passed her a dry cloth. "I'll wash and you dry?"

Aura accepted the cloth with a smile and a nod, and moved over towards where she knew the counter to be.

Zed shook his head slowly as he set to work. He would have never imagined he would be most happy doing menial chores, but here he was, content just washing dishes. It was as if this had been what he was meant to do all along.

Aura carefully stacked the dried dishes on the counter, telling by feel what they were and where to put them, Zed passing her another once it was clean and he saw that she was finished with the last he'd passed her. She was just setting down a glass when she heard Zed draw a sharp, pained breath.

"Zed?" she asked, worried, not wanting to believe that he was falling ill again, and so soon.

He didn't reply, the plate he was holding slipping from his fingers to shatter on the floor. He fell to his knees, clutching at his chest, trying to catch his breath.

"Zed!" Aura knelt down next to him, wincing as she felt sharp shards of glass cut into her skin. She ignored the pain, felt out and held his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

He didn't have the strength left to answer, and sunk into her arms, no longer able to support himself. She shook him, gently at first, and then more roughly as he remained silent, still save for the laboured rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breathe.

"Zed, please, answer me!" Aura pleaded, but he couldn't hear her. He was unconscious.

X X X

By foot and Elw Shrine, it still took Jack, Cecilia and Rudy a few days to reach Port Timney. The plan had been to stay in town for a few days before traveling on to Milama, then Ship Graveyard. There was no rush for them to get anywhere; they were just making rounds, stopping if people needed help, and then moving on again.

These plans were disrupted when they met up with Captain Bartholomew. He came running to greet them from the pier as soon as they arrived, his expression severe. "Ahoy!" He waved, motioning for them to follow him. He waited momentarily, making sure they were coming before turning to head back to the Sweet Candy II.

"What's the matter, Captain?" asked Cecilia as she and the others ran to catch up.

"No time to explain now. We need to hurry and cast off," he replied, already sprinting up the gangplank as quickly as his little legs would take him. He began barking out orders to his crew and they scrambled to obey as Rudy, Jack and Cecilia stood off to the side, a little baffled by the urgency.

Only once the ship was clear of the port and safely on its way did Bartholomew finally take the time to explain the rush.

"I was talking to Aura when I made my monthly trip to Saint Centaur. She's worried about Zed, says he's fallen ill and asked me to get you guys and bring you back there. Said you'd know what she was talking about."

"Oh no," moaned Cecilia.

"If you ask me," said Jack, "he's just getting what he deserves."

Cecilia glared at him. "Don't start, Jack. Just don't."

Hanpan felt it necessary to break into the fight at this point. "Jack, I know how you feel about demons, but don't you think you're being just a bit unfair? Isn't it obvious that Zed really had little to do with anything the other demons were up to?"

Jack just grunted in response, crossing his arms and staring out to sea.

Nobody talked much from then on, focusing on the trip back to Saint Centaur. With the wind on their side and Captain Bartholomew pushing the ship to its limit as often as he dared, the trip only took two and a half days. They rushed into town as soon as they arrived, not knowing what they'd find, and hoping they wouldn't be too late.

Rudy knocked on the door and heard Aura call for them to enter. Going in, the group headed to the room where Zed stayed, Aura greeting them as they came. Her voice was tinged with worry, yet she still sounded relieved.

"What happened, Aura?" asked Cecilia before she noticed the cuts on the blind girl's knees. "What did you do to your knees? Would you like me to heal that?"

"If it's not too much trouble," replied Aura, and continued as Cecilia cast a quick heal spell. "I don't know what happened. It was just after you left, we were washing dishes and he… he just collapsed…"

"That was it?" asked Hanpan.

"Well, it seemed like something was hurting him…and he was having trouble breathing… But he was fine before! What's wrong with him?"

"None of us are doctors, Aura. And even if we were, it wouldn't make much difference. We don't know anything about demon physiology," replied Jack.

"So what can we do? I can't just do nothing!"

"Well," squeaked Hanpan, "it's a long shot, but we could get Professor Emma to look at him. She might be able to figure out what to do."

Rudy nodded, agreeing with the wind mouse's suggestion. Cecilia clapped her hands together, smiling. "You're right, Hanpan. We should head to Adlehyde right away."

"You're going to leave again?" Aura's voice was small and sad. It was obvious she didn't want to be left alone again.

"It'll only be for a short time, and we'll be bringing back someone who will hopefully be able to help."

"I see…"

The three wanderers and one wind mouse exchanged looks. They didn't want to leave Aura like this anymore than she wanted to be, but they all knew it was necessary if they were going to help Zed.

"Would you like it if I were to stay behind?" asked Rudy suddenly. "We don't need all four of us for this trip."

Aura's smile was almost pathetically grateful. "Thank you."

"You'll be alright, then?" asked Cecilia.

"Yes, thank you. Please hurry."

"Don't worry," said Hanpan with a mousy smirk. "We'll be like the wind."

X X X

Jack and Cecilia were fortunate to find the Sweet Candy II still docked off shore when they returned, and Captain Bartholomew agreed to sail them to Adlehyde. The few days it took seemed far too long to Cecilia, and she hoped the Gullwing would be available for the journey back. Before they headed to town, the captain assured them he'd wait for them to return or until he saw the airship.

The group of three wasted no time reaching the entrance to town, but before they could even start heading towards Emma's workshop, a small explosion echoed forth from within the building. The three exchanged a quick glance before running over and inside to see what was going on.

Emma was already upstairs, having fled from whatever she'd been working on. Dark smoke was billowing up from downstairs.

"What happened?" asked Cecilia. The professor turned towards her, startled from her musings. Her face was smudged with soot.

"Nothing to worry about. One of my inventions has been giving me some trouble. My calculations must have been a bit off, but that's impossible. They were perfect!"

"That's nice," said Jack, though his tone clearly stated he didn't really care. "We need your help with something, it'll probably be right up your alley."

"Oh?" Emma perked up at this statement. "I've always said you guys have the best luck finding ancient relics."

"Well…I guess you could put it that way," stated Cecilia with a weak smile.

"Zed's sick, and we don't know what to do," squeaked Hanpan. "We were hoping that perhaps you might have the means necessary to find out what's wrong with him."

Emma looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've never been able to study an actual demon before… I can take a look, but I can't guarantee anything. I will do what I can."

"That's all we ask," replied Cecilia. "It would be best if we got back as quickly as possible. Is the Gullwing available?"

"Oh yes." Emma waved a hand for them to follow her and the group headed out into the streets of Adlehyde. "I've been trying to improve the energy output to make it go faster."

"Is that safe?" asked Hanpan, his whiskers twitching nervously.

Emma shrugged. "I guess we'll find out." Jack seemed to pale a little at her words as she produced a blindfold from somewhere. "I'm still going to have to blindfold you though, before I take you down to the secret base."

Cecilia wilted as Jack rolled his eyes.

X X X

Emma spent several minutes before leaving collecting items and gadgets she would require for examining Zed, packing them into a bag not unlike one would expect to see from a doctor making a house call.

The return trip in the Gullwing took only an hour, the speed enhancement knocking a full thirty minutes off the previous time it used to take flying from Adlehyde to Saint Centaur. Once they'd landed, Emma stepped forth from the plane, bag in hand, Jack and Cecilia trailing behind her, and headed into town.

"Their house is the one with the small porch out front, right?" Emma asked as she hastened through the empty town, not really waiting for a reply. Cecilia answered to the affirmative anyway, even as the pushy professor barged into the house without knocking.

"So, where is he?" she demanded. Aura and Rudy looked up from their interrupted conversation, startled.

"Where's…? Oh, yes, he's in bed. Back here," said Aura. She stood and led Emma to where Zed was resting. The demon was still save for his breathing. "He's been sleeping for the last few days, since he first collapsed."

"He hasn't come back to consciousness since?"

"Well, he has, but not often and for very short periods. Fifteen minutes at the longest."

Emma nodded slightly as she started pulling objects from her bag. "Has he eaten anything in the last twenty four hours?"

Aura shook her head. "Rudy and I tried to get him to eat, but he had a lot of trouble swallowing, and nothing would stay down. He'd only had water for the last two days."

"At least that'll speed things up a bit." Emma held up the assembled needle and tapped on it with a fingernail. "I'm going to need a blood sample for study, and I can get that right now. While I'm doing that, could you tell me about his symptoms?"

Zed stirred and awoke as Emma lifted his arm, preparing to draw blood and Aura, distracted by his groan, didn't answer as she knelt down by his side. "Zed?"

He didn't reply, blinking his eyes slowly as if to focus them. His breath rasped in his throat as Aura brushed a hand across his forehead. "Zed, can you hear me? Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Emma paused in what she was doing to listen to the conversation. Zed's response was slow in coming.

"Yeah…" His voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. "Wha…what's going on…?"

"It's okay. Professor Emma is here and she's going to see if she can help, all right? She'd going to have to draw some blood, though."

Zed blinked and looked up at Aura, though his eyes still seemed distant and unfocused. "I…hate needles…"

"I know, I know. But it'll only take a moment and then Emma might be able to find what's wrong."

"…Okay."

"Thank you, Zed." The blind girl leaned in and gave him a gentle hug before drawing back and nodding her head. "Go ahead, professor."

Zed's eyes slid closed again, mostly because he couldn't hold them open any longer, but also because he didn't want to watch Emma work. His phobia was Alhazad's fault, the robed demon having preformed minor experiments and tests on him long ago, and Zed could still remember the pain. Alhazad had been none too gentle with a needle.

He whimpered as he felt the cool metal tube prick his skin and slide into his vein. He calmed down slightly when he felt Aura take his hand and give it a comforting squeeze. A squeak of pain still escaped him as Emma started drawing blood, however.

Just when he thought he couldn't stand it anymore, Emma withdrew the needle and pressed a small piece of gauze against the spot where it had been, asking Aura to hold it there for a few moments. The blind girl did as asked, giving Zed's hand another squeeze.

"Huh, that's odd." Emma was staring at the liquid she'd just transferred from needle to test tube.

"What's that?" asked Aura, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"I remember seeing a sample of preserved demon's blood at the Adlehyde Ruins Festival…" The scientist gave the tube a slight shake, as if expecting something to happen when she did.

"Yes?"

"That blood was silvery, like liquid mercury… And I recall when I fought the demons with the others, the blood we spilled then was also a silvery liquid."

"I'm afraid I don't see what you're getting at."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry. I forgot for a moment you're blind." Emma shook her head, staring at Zed's blood again. "This sample I just drew is red."

Aura blinked in surprise. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. Could you tell me about his symptoms now?"

Aura expected Zed to say something, to ask a question or something, before she realized he'd fallen back to sleep. She sighed quietly and began to describe his condition.

"Let's see…I've already mentioned his difficulty eating, and his lack of energy should be obvious. When he collapsed, he seemed to be in pain and had difficulty breathing… I think that's about it."

"No fever or coughing or anything like that?"

Aura shook her head. "No, not yet. At first he just seemed to be…well, exhausted. We thought he wasn't getting enough sleep because he was being troubled by nightmares, but after Cecilia helped with that, everything seemed fine again… And now…"

"With symptoms like that, I would expect a fever at least … I'll get my lab set up and see what I can find out."

"I'll be praying for your success."

"Hah!" Emma laughed. "With my genius, if there's something to be found, I'll find it!" With that, she gathered up her equipment and moved off, leaving Aura's house and taking up residence in one of the larger empty houses where she could work undisturbed. Aura rejoined the others after she made sure the needle wound on Zed's arm had stopped bleeding.

"We saw Emma rush off," said Hanpan. "Was she able to find anything yet?"

"No, not yet." Aura decided not to mention anything about the odd colour of Zed's blood. She had a feeling there was a reason for the way it was, and she didn't want to worry the others until Emma knew more. She was already worried enough for all of them.

An uncomfortable silence fell, no one really knowing what to say. Jack glanced out the window and noted the location of the sun on the horizon. "There's no use worrying about it now. When Emma knows something, she'll let us know. It's getting late and we've all had a long day. The best thing we could do now is rest."

"Yes. It won't help Zed if we make ourselves ill," added Cecilia.

There was general agreement, and a few short minutes later everyone had dispersed, heading to bed.

X X X

The next morning came and went with no change. Zed continued to sleep. Though he woke on a couple of occasions, he was too delirious for conversation. He barely got it across that he wanted a glass of water.

Emma continued to work in her lab, emerging only once at lunch because she was hungry. She had nothing to report yet, however. The day wore on, everyone waiting ever more impatiently for Emma to tell them something.

Jack and Hanpan started a game of poker with the others to pass the time. Cecilia helped Aura, since the blind girl wanted to play as well. After a few hours the game had come down to Rudy against Aura and Cecilia.

"I can't believe the kid's so good at bluffing," gripped Jack. Hanpan laughed.

"You're just sore you got beaten," he squeaked in amusement.

Jack glared at the rodent as Emma entered. The card game was forgotten in an instant, as Aura was the first to speak. "Have you found anything?"

Emma shook her head. "I still have a couple tests to run, but I haven't found anything yet. I'm sorry."

"Nothing at all?" asked Hanpan.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. There's deterioration, but with the condition he's in, that's to be expected."

"How long will it be until you've finished?" asked Cecilia.

Emma placed one hand at her hip and the other at her chin as she thought about the answer. "Probably not until tomorrow. There's a couple of things I need to let sit for the night. I've done all I can for now."

Aura looked disappointed. She had hoped Emma would find some reason, some explanation for Zed's condition so they could do something about it, but now it seemed even she wouldn't find anything. Cecilia, as though sensing the blind girl's thoughts, placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Aura. If there's something to find, then Emma will find it. We just have to be patient."

Aura nodded as Emma noticed the cards. "Oh, are you played poker? Can I join?"

Aura excused herself, allowing Emma to take her place as the other started a new game, and went to check on Zed. She could tell once she reached his room that he was still sleeping, just by the sound of his breathing.

She felt out a chair next to the bed and sat down. She wanted to talk to Zed, wanted to hear him joke around as he used to, but she wasn't going to disturb him for her own selfish reasons. His rest was more important than that.

Carefully, she found his forehead and pressed the back of her hand gently against it, checking his temperature. He seemed a bit warm, and she found herself unsure how to feel about it. Should she be happy that he now seemed to be exhibiting other symptoms, or just more worried?

She withdrew her hand when she felt Zed move, and hoped she hadn't woken him by accident. To her dismay, he groaned and turned to face her.

"Aura…?"

She ran a hand through his hair as she replied quietly, "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay…" He smiled weakly. "Sleeping is dull."

Aura couldn't help giggling. "I know, but you need your rest. So sleep now and by tomorrow, Emma should have some results."

Zed didn't reply, simply nodding his understanding and settling back into his pillow. He was asleep again in seconds.

X X X

"Aura?"

The blind girl awoke to the sensation of a light shaking, and realized she had fallen asleep resting her head on the edge of Zed's bed. The demon himself was still asleep, Cecilia being careful only to wake Aura.

"Emma's done with her tests and wants everyone there when she reveals the results."

The blind girl sat up and yawned. "She's done?" Her voice was weak after just waking up. She stood carefully so as not to disturb Zed and followed Cecilia out into the living room. The others were already gathered, sitting or standing in various positions around the area. Emma waiting until everyone was comfortable before she started.

"Well, I'm going to get straight to the point," she said, standing and walking out in front of everyone as she was wont to do. "I don't know what's wrong with Zed. I'm sorry, Aura."

"Isn't there anything you can tell us?" It was obvious the blind girl was keeping her emotions in check. "Anything at all?"

Emma shook her head slowly before replying. "I ran several tests, but nothing turned up. What I knew yesterday is all I'm sure of today."

"…No…that can't be it…" Aura buried her face in her hands, trying not to cry. Cecilia placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, causing the blind girl to start. She sniffed. "I… I'm sorry, I shouldn't…"

"You have nothing to apologize for. But believe me, we haven't given up yet," replied the princess.

Jack straightened himself out from where he had been leaning against the railing. "What can we do? We've tried everything we could think of, and we still don't even know what the problem is."

The room fell silent, everyone knowing that Jack was right, though they were loath to admit it. Without knowing what was wrong, they would have a difficult time trying to treat it. Things weren't looking good.

Rudy looked down at his hands, which he held cupped in his lap. He felt bad for Aura and Zed, though at the same time, didn't know how he could help. He didn't want the demon to die, but there was nothing he could do.

His eyes were drawn to his left arm when a patch of sunlight caught his wrist guard and made it gleam. It still amazed him the way the Elw had been able to repair him. He had been raised a human, yet all along he had been a machine. When he had sacrificed his arm, he had never imagined he would get a new one.

And suddenly, Rudy knew what to do. "We should talk to the Elw."

Everyone looked up at Rudy in surprise. It was true the boy didn't speak much, but his talking was hardly the cause of the surprise.

"Do you really think they'd be willing to help a demon, Rudy?"

Cecilia shot Jack a look of daggers. Jack shot back a look of his own. "I'm not trying to belittle Zed, princess, but think about it. He's a demon. The Elw fought the demons in the Great War, remember? I don't think they're going to like him much."

"They didn't seem to mind him on those few occasions he came with us to the Elw dimension," interrupted Emma.

"That's because he kept himself hidden in the back of the group," squeaked Hanpan. "Vassim was really the only one there who met him, and I really don't think he realized exactly what Zed was."

"Yeah, he just thought he was a weirdo," chuckled Jack.

Aura looked down. She wanted to say something, but she didn't have the words. It bothered her the way the others were making fun of Zed, but she didn't know what to say to stop them. "If there's a chance they could help, couldn't you at least try?" she said instead.

Rudy nodded, the look he shot Jack saying the decision was final. "We'll go see if they can help."

"We don't all need to go, so I'll stay here and help Aura," said Cecilia.

Emma stood from her place on the couch and set her hands on her hips. "I'll go get the Gullwing ready for the trip." With that, the professor turned and left the house, heading to her airship to perform the preflight check.

Hanpan jumped onto Jack's shoulder as the swordsman stood and turned towards the door, following after Emma. "We'll do everything we can, Aura," he said and walked out the door. Rudy trailed after him, but not before resting a reassuring hand on the blind girl's shoulder.

X X X

Water droplets sparkled on the leaves of Mariel's flowers as the Elw girl tipped her watering can over the plants, sprinkling her garden with the precious liquid. Emptying the can, she straightened up and smiled, wiping a hand across her forehead. Her flowers were doing well, but it took a lot of hard work to grow them in this area, work she didn't mind bending her back to.

She was just finishing up on the flowerbed she had started working on earlier that morning when she heard the roar of an engine overhead. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of red steel as the Gullwing flew overhead. Several moments later, it had landed and the group of four from Saint Centaur joined Mariel in her modest cabin.

"I don't know what we could do to help," she said, after Emma explained the situation. "My brother, or the village elder would probably be able to better help you."

"Let's head to Tarjon, then," said Jack.

X X X

The Elw village was the same as it had been the last time the group had visited. Though the situation wasn't as dire this time around, it still bothered Rudy to think that the only reason they ever came here was when there was a problem.

But he didn't worry about that as they went to talk to Fulcani. Right now, they needed help. There was no time to fret about pleasantries.

The group followed Chitwood as he led them to Fulcani's cabin. Mariel had already left to go talk to her brother, figuring it would be quicker if they split up. Upon protest, she had assured them she would be fine and that she knew what she was doing. In the end, they had let her go.

"He's in here," said Chitwood, snapping Rudy from his reverie. With a quick word of thanks, the group headed inside.

Fulcani looked up from the books he had been studying and nodded slightly. "Ah. Kenneth had said you would be coming." He glanced around at the party. "Where is young Mariel?"

"She went to talk to her brother," replied Jack, "but that's not why we've come here."

Fulcani stood from the desk he had been sitting at and took up his walking stick before replying. "Yes, so I've heard. What is this mysterious problem, then?"

Between Rudy, Jack, Emma and Hanpan, the four explained the situation with Zed.

"We don't know what to do. We can find no cause and nothing seems to help. We were hoping, that with your advanced knowledge of demons, that you could help," concluded Emma.

"Hmmm…" Fulcani walked over to a window and gazed out at the sky, locked in thought. It was several minutes before he said anything. "And you would have me help this demon because?"

Jack snorted. "That's what I told them. Why would the Elw want to help a demon?"

Rudy looked up at Fulcani, his eyes pleading. "He's our friend. He's not like the other demons. Please, we need your help."

The old Elw glanced at Rudy. "This is unexpected. The Holmcross speaking on behalf of a demon's welfare."

"I know I was built to be a weapon," said Rudy, "and I know Zed is a demon. But look at how I turned out. Is it so hard to believe that one among the demons could be good, as well?"

Fulcani stared at Rudy for several seconds before his eyes began to gleam and he laughed. "It seems I am to be schooled by my own creation! Very well, then. Let us take a look at your friend."

Rudy smiled back. "Thank you."

The conversation continued as the five returned to the centre of town. They had agreed to meet Mariel there once she had returned. It was a short wait before the Elw girl arrived, alone.

"Vassim said he wouldn't be any help. All he knows about demons is what he needed to create the Guardian Blade." Mariel dropped her gaze, her ears drooping as she looked away. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mariel," said Jack. "You did what you could. Fulcani has agreed to help, so we're still okay."

She seemed to perk up at this revelation and smiled. Fulcani began to walk towards the gate back to Filgaia as the others turned to follow.

"At my age, we can't afford to waste any time, so let us be off."

X X X

They found Zed awake and spirited upon returning with Fulcani. Mariel had opted to stay behind at her garden, stating that she would just get in the way and besides, someone needed to look after her flowers.

Zed however, wasn't about to make it easy for Fulcani to examine him. Crossing his arms across his chest, he gave the old Elw a dark glare. "I don't want any ancient Elw touching me! Who knows what he'll do!" he snapped defensively.

"Zed, calm down!" Aura took his hands in hers, trying to pacify the agitated demon. "He's here to help. He won't hurt you, but if you keep this up, you're going to hurt yourself."

Zed just huffed. For being so ill the last few days, he had made a startling recovery in the short time the others had been gone. To look at him now, it would be difficult to tell that he was sick.

"You can trust your friends," said Fulcani as he moved closer to the bedridden demon. "They were very adamant about helping you, and I am inclined to believe them when they tell me you are worth saving." The old Elw shot a glance at Rudy, and the young boy nodded.

Zed fell silent and looked up at Fulcani. His distrust was evident, but clearer still was his puzzled expression.

"But I don't need to touch you to see what is wrong, anyhow." Fulcani turned to the assembled group. "I'd suspected it as soon as you described the symptoms, but felt I needed to witness it firsthand to be sure. It is evident to me now. I'm afraid I cannot help you. This demon is dying."


End file.
